Newsom honors UC employees’ picket line

After Pfizer announced it was bailing out of the biotech hub at Mission Bay last week, Mayor Gavin Newsom surely wanted to tout some new companies moving in. He was scheduled to appear at Mission Bay this morning to hype a new incubator to help medical startups grow into full-fledged companies.

But the mayor passed after learning University of California employees were picketing the site to protest proposed furloughs and student fee hikes. The UC regents are meeting at Mission Bay this week.

“As he has done in the past, the mayor honored his pledge to not cross the picket line this morning in support of UC workers,” said Joe Arellano, Newsom’s spokesman.